Commercial paper.



PATENTEDMAR. 10, 1908. J'. C. BELL. l COMMERCIAL PAPER.

APrLIoATIoN FILED APBJQ. 190s.

(s) scaaclNm-Nla) I MEE zu 'nay/ably dusss sslua olv ,zsouh no ...522.55

TTS

i JOHN Gi. BELL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

iOfFFT.

COMMERCIAL PAPER.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1o, rege.

Application led April 19., 1906. Serial No. 812,521.

lowing is a specification, the principle of the" invention being herein explained and the best mode in whichl have contemplated applying that principle so as to distinguish -it from other inventions. y

My invention relates to an improvement in commercial papers,v and especially to the combination with a check, of certain for'ms and elements imparting thereto features of safety and convenience'hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth in the claims. The annexed drawing and the following descri tion set forth in detail certain means embo ying the invention, said disclosed means constituting but one of various forms in whichl the principle of the invention Vmay be used, I

In said annexed drawin Figure 1 represents a front or face view o a check embodying the features of my invention, and Fig. 2 represents a rear or back view thereof.

As plainly shown 4in the drawing, the front of the check comprises 'a check portion proper A, a portion for a statement of account B, .a space C in which a receipt may be inserted, and two end-portions D and 'hereinafter'to be more fully described. The

rear of the checkl shown in Fig. 2 comprises two end-portions Dl and E cooperating in cert-ainways, as will be fully described later, with the front endportionsD and E; and the large blank intermediate ort-ion F at the left hand end of which suitab e indorsements may be made. Referring to the front-of the check-portion proper A, the same involves no essentially new features with the exception that provision is made for theinsertion of the amount for which the check is 'drawn -in 'figures only, and a warning referring to Vthe safety features of the check embodied inA the two end-portions D and E thereof. rThe statement lof account space B can be utilized in any desirableor convenient way,iand, as a feature of bookkeeping, `will be foundjto be f quite a saving of time, for designating the f articles for which thecheck 1s a payment, or

a reference as to the accounts into which the elements of the amount for which the check is drawn are distributed, and immediately to f above the Units, andone of 4the four 'which are -provided for in the front andrear end-sections D and E, and D and E', respectively. Upon the front end-sections D and E are placed an suitable backgrounds drand e of different co ors, or differing in any other desired way s o as to make them rentirely distinct one from the other. Said backgrounds are divided into two parts by vertical lines'd and e', respectively.

Upon the outer part of each background is arranged a vertical row of digits, as shown, each row comprising two series of figures, naught to nine inclusive, respectively, disposed symmetrically with respect Atoacentral point, such figures being' preferably ar ranged consecutively, commencing at the middle of the check and running toward the top and bottom thereof As plainly shown in Fig. 1, these figuresare arranged at an angle of labout forty-five degrees, and the' background are placed the words Units and lten, Hundreds and thousands, upon'the right and left-hand ends D and E, respectively, in each case associated with the word Dollars intermediate of the Units and tens, and ofthe Hundreds and thousands, respectively, the Thousands being placed above the Hundreds7 and the Tens words being located adjacent .respectively to the four series of digits. i f I y It will be noted lthat the check shown .in

the drawing is drawn for five thousand three- 190 hundred and forty-six dollars (555,346.00); so that, in'utilizing my check, before itis issued, by vany suitable cutting-or tearing device' it can be'torn along'the lines -:c, Fig. l, by

means .of which it will be noted that Vthe-105 highest indicated printed amount will be five-thousand three hundred` fort-y-.siX' dol-a; lars, corresponding with the written amount in figures upon the' check ,portionproper A and in accordance with the warning given 11,;

upon said check portion. I shall now refer to the endortionsD and E upon the rear of the chec which comprise four. series-ot' characters, herein shown as a series of Us, a series of Xs, a series of Cs and a series of Ms, associated each with a series of digits l A to 9, and with the words Units, Tens,

vio

noted that t e bank teller can observe when L he looks at the indorsement upon said check,

that iive M' s are in evidence'rlght before him, also three Cs, four Xs and six Us, associated with the figures 5, 3, 4, and 6, respectively, and with the words "Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units, respectively, all arranged so that at a glance, without turning the check about in any way, he can note whether or not the amount thus shown correspondsl With the amount which abso he has observed upon the face of the check. So far as the safety features of my check Vare concerned, the spirit of' my invention comprehends a check upon which it is almost utely impossible to raise the amount for which it'v 1s drawn, and comprises the varying backgrounds and the two rows of gures differing in arrangement one from the other, but man departures from the actual construction W ich I have shown'can be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention. The coperating feature upon the back o f the check at either end is an element of safety greatly adding to the efficiency of the check and enabling the bank cashier or teller to confirm the amount for which it is drawn at every glance he gives the checkfwhether it be turned face or rear, vertically or horizontally.

It will be understood, of course, that I might dispense With one of the end-portions D or E, especially for checks -which are drawn' for smaller amounts than the one which I have shown and which might have a limit of $100.0() 01 $1,000.00` instead of thel $10,000.00 limit of this check; and, furthermore, suitable means might be provided for detachably connecting the check to astub, if

it were desired tokeep the checks in the usual book-form.

It will be readily apparent that no check punch or other protective device is needed other than a small cutting or tearing member which can be readily supplied; and that the combination of features which I have provided results in a voucher check which is very efficient, safe and economical.

Having thus described my invention in detail, that which I particularly point out and distinctly claim is 1. A check, Aor similar commercial paper,

provided with a rotective device consisting of two ahned co umns each made u of the digits naught to nme symmetrically t isposcd tions of two orders of va ues disposed adiacent to said two alined columns respective y.

2, A check, or similar commercial paper, provided with a rotective device consisting of-two alined co umns each' made up of the digits naught to nine, the naughts being placed at the center land the nines at thc respective ends of the combined column and designations oi two successive orders of values disposed adjacent to said two alined columns, res ectively.

3. A check, or similar commercial paper, provided with a protective device consisting of two alined columns eac'h made up of the digits naught to nine, the naughts being placed at the center and the nines at the respecive ends ofthe combined column, the individual figures of the respective columns being inclined so as to distinguish one column from the other and designations of two successive orders of values disposed adjacent to said two alined columns respectively.,

4. A check, or similar commercial paper, provided with a protective device consisting of two vertically disposed alined columns of the digits naught to nine at one end of the check, the naughts being placed at the center and the vnines at the respective ends of the combined column, the individual figures of the u per column inclining u wardly and inwardl) and of the lower co umn, upwardly andA outwardly, with respect to the end of the'check and designations of two successive orders of values disposed adjacent to the inner sides of said two alined columns, respeof tively, substantially as described.

5. A check, or similar commercial paper, provided with a protective device consisting of two vertically disposed alined columns of the digits naught to nine at each end of the check, the naughts being placed at the center and the nines at the res ective ends of the two combined columns t ius formed, the individual figures of the upper of each pair of alined columns inclining upwardly and inwardly, and of the lower, upwardly and outwardly, with respect to the corresponding end of the check; and designations of units and tens, hundreds and thousands, disposed in pairs as indicated adjacent to the inner sides of the pair of alined'columns at each end of' the check, substantaially as described.

6. A check, or similar commercial paper, provided with a protective device consisting with respect to a central oint; and designal of two vertically disposed alined columns of the digitsnaught to .rune at each end of theV face of the check, the naughts being placed at the center and the n'ines-at the respective ends 4oi .the two combined columns thus formed, the individual. figures of the upper of each pair of alined columns inclining up wardly and'nwardly, .svardly and outwardly, with res ect to t e and ofthe lower, u

corresponding end of 4the chec ,designations ofunitsfnd tens, hundreds and thousands, disposed in pairs as indicated adjacent to the inner sides of the pair of. alined columns at each `and of the checkpa similar 'combined columnbffdigits ateach end of the -back' the check together with similar z.

designations disposed so that corresponding digits on the front and the back t re superposed, substantially as described'. l

A check, or similar commercial paper,

provided-With -a protective device consisting of two vertically disposed alined columns of the digits naught to nine at each end of the check, such ends of the check respectively" forming diierent back-grounds for saidcolumns, the naughts being placed at the center and the nines at the res ective ends of the two combined columns t vus formed, the ine dividual gures ofthe upper of each pair of alined columns inclining upwardly and inwardlygand of the lower, upwardly and outwardly, withrespect to the corresponding end of' the checlq'and designations of unitsy y and tens; hundreds and thousands, disposed in pairs as findicated adjacent to the inner sides of the pair of alined columns at each end of the check, substantially as described. 

